Abstract

CALVARIO-PALMA, Ángeles et al. Quality and phytotoxicity of the water used in onion (Allium cepa L.) production systems. Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2025, vol.12, n.3, e4254.  Epub Dec 05, 2025. ISSN 2007-901X.  https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a12n3.4254.

Conventional production systems, with continuous and excessive use of inputs, can generate contamination in the soil, air and aquifers, with irrigation water being the main medium for the diffusion of pollutants. Therefore, the objective was to measure quality and phytotoxicity variables, as indicators of the presence of contaminants in water used in a conventional production system and an organic onion system, compared to water collected from a non-cultivated system. Three well water samples were taken in each production system and in the non-cultivated system, from October 2020 to May 2021 in Santa Isabel Cholula Puebla. In the sampled water was meassured the content of: nitrates, phosphates, pH, total solids, EC, salts, heavy metals and three phytotoxicity indices by germination bioassays with Raphanus sativus L seeds as an indicator species of contaminants. The measured variables were processed with analysis of variance by systems effect, with Tukey mean comparisons (p < 0.05), correlation analysis between variables and clusters, with the InfoStat program. The nitrate and phosphate contents in the water of the conventional system exceeded the limits established in the official standard and showed moderate rates of phytotoxicity. The organic and non-cultivated systems were grouped with values lower than those established in the standard and with null to low phytotoxicity, which indicates low water contaminants in the organic agroecosystem.

Keywords : Agroecosystems; bioassay toxicity; nitrate; phosphate; water quality.

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